Hand tool for removing dents



Oct. 25, 1960 c. w. PARlSl 2,957,376

HAND TOOL FOR REMOVING DENTS Filed 001:. 27, 1958 f n 5171b? CA/APLZS14/ PAP/S/ 744, aw w s TOOL FOR REMOVING DENTS Charles W. Parisi,Maywood, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, of one-half to ParkerMetal Products Company, Chicago, 111., a copartnership Filed Oct. 27,1958, Ser. No. 769,616

10 Claims. (Cl. 81--15) quiring great skill, and highly developedtechniques in hammering the dented or creased areas, stretching of metaland removal of upholstery headliner or double panelling structure.

The present invention eliminates these specialized techniques andpermits repair of body and fender dents and j creasesby the averagelayman with but little efiort and expense.

The tool of the invention comprises a substantially rigid bar or rod ofmetal or other suitable material having a first section disposed inpredetermined obtusely angled relationship to an elongated second orhandle sectiou, a horn or hook carried by the first section inpredetermined spaced relation to the juncture between the first andsecond sections and a base plate adapted to be positioned against thevehicle body or fender, providing a fulcrum for the rod at the juncturebetween the first .and second sections thereof and having aflixedthereto a loop structure for retaining the rod in appropriate alignmentwith the plate.

In accordance with the method of the invention, a plurality of holes aredrilled in the bottom portions of the dents or creases, the holespreferably having a diameter in the neighborhood of M; of an inch.

Thereupon a portion of the hook which extends in preferably parallel andproximate relation to the first rod section, is inserted into each ofthe holes successively, and manual force is applied at the end of thesecond rod section to raise the dented or creased area to the level ofthe surrounding body or fender structure. For this .purpose, the platemay be placed in partially overlying relationship to the dented orcreased area and may act as-a stop to determine the upper limit to whichone dented or creased area shall be raised. Desirably, the plate isprovided with a resilient cushioning material such as sponge rubber toprevent marring the body surfaces. The 'holes are preferably formedadjacent the boundaries of the dents or creases and the plate positionedadjacent thereto so that the described lifting force is directedsubstantially normal to the plane of the surrounding surfaces, and afterthe lifting action has been completed, the holes are filled with asuitable plastic and the surfaces finished to a uniform level andpainted.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tooland method for straightening body and fender dents and creases wherebythe difficult and expensive techniques and tools which have heretoforebeen required for this purpose are eliminated, so that the job UnitedStates Patent "ice may be easily accomplished by almost any interestedperson.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for removingvehicle body dents and creases in which a plurality of small holes aredrilled around the bottom of the dent or crease, and hook means aresuccessively inserted in the holes to permit manual operation of a levercarrying the hook means so as to bring the dented or creased area to thelevel of the surrounding material, the holes being thereafter filledwith suitable plastic or the like and the surfaces smoothed and painted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool for removing dentsand creases in a vehicle body or fender or the like comprising a baseplate and fulcrum adapted to seat against the body or fender and a levercarrying hook means for engaging within the apertures described, thelever having an angled configuration defining an apex adjacent the hookmeans adapted to be pivotally supported on the base plate in a positiondefined by loop means on the base plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide hook means as describedwhich will preserve the sheet material during use and which may bereadily adjusted as desired to meet specific requirements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool as described whichis simple in construction and which may be manufactured at relativelylow cost without the need for special dies or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds in accordance with the drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a tool according to the presentinvention in operative relation with a vehicle;

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the tool of the invention, partlyin vertical section;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the tool; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 ofFigure 3.

Referring now to Figures 1-3, the tool 10 of the invention comprises abase plate 12 having an area sufiicient to seat upon a body surface inpartially overlying relationship to a dent or crease to be removed. In apreferred form of the invention, the plate 12 includes a metalrectangular upper plate portion 14 and a sheet of resilient shockabsorbent material such as sponge rubber 16 secured by glue or othersuitable means to the under surface of the plate portion 14. Thedimensions of the base plate may be varied to suit particular needs andconditions although it has been found that a width of in theneighborhood of 2V2 inches and a length of in the neighborhood of 3 /2to 4 inches is suitable for most purposes. Preferably, the forward edge18 of the sheet 16 is at least coterminous with the forward edge 20 ofthe upper plate portion 14, and may be extended slightly in advance ofthe edge 20 to protect the vehicle surfaces from being scratched orotherwise marred.

The base 12 serves as a fulcrum for a lever rod 22 having a firstsection 24 integrally formed with a second section 25 in predeterminedobliquely. angular relation thereto. The first section 22 carries a hornor hook element 26 adjacent the end 28 thereof as hereinafter described,the hook element 26 being disposed in predetermined spaced relation tothe juncture 30 between the sections 24 and 25 such as to afford adesired range of movement for the hook when the juncture 30 ispositioned against the base 12 as shown in dot and dash in Figure 2. Inorder to guide and retain the rod 22, a preferably rectangular loopstructure 32 is secured to the upper portion 14 of the plate 12 bywelding or other suitable means, and is dimensioned and configured toloosely receive the rod in slidable and pivotal relation therein, whileacting as a stop for the hookelement 26 so as to prevent accidentaldisassociation of the rod from the plate. Desirably, however, the rodmay be removed by rotating it one-eighth of a turn from the positionshown in Figure 2, the internal diagonal dimension of the aperture 34defined by the loop being preferably suflicient to permit passage of thehook therethrough.

The book element 26 includes a first section 36 which is adjustablyreceived in a transversely extending aperture 38 formed in the rodsection 24, and a second portion 40 which preferably extends beneath therod section 24 in proximate, parallel relation thereto. The first hooksection 36 may be set at a slightly oblique angle and the aperture 38canted slightly accordingly; and in order to rcleasably secure the hookin position, a set screw 42 is threadedly received in an axiallyextending bore 44 opening into the aperture or bore 38 as shown.Rotation of the set screw 42 by an Allen wrench or the like will thusdisengage the hook element 26 to permit resetting thereof relative tothe rod section 24.

The lower hook section 40 is preferably set in axially extendingrelation to the rod section 24, and has a length relative to the lengthof the section 24 beyond the aperture 38 such as to project beyond theend 28 of the section :24 for a predetermined distance such as to permitready insertion of the hook element into apertures in the dent areas ashereinafter further described.

In practising the invention, therefore, a plurality of holes 46 aredrilled in the dented or creased areas 48 of a vehicle 50, and so as toavoid drilling through the headliner, it is desirable that the drill beextended only for approximately ,5 beyond the chuck jaws carrying thedrill. These holes may be, for example, approximately M4" in diameter,and are preferably formed substantially around the bottom surfaces ofthe dent or crease as shown.

'Ihe base plate 12 is thereupon placed in contiguous relation to thedent or crease, preferably in partially overlying relation thereto, sothat the hook element may be readily inserted and the base provide afirm support for the lever bar 22. Thus the hook will be spaced slightlyfrom the forward edge 20 of the plate 12 at such time. As shown, thelower portion 40 of the hook will contact the dented area adjacent thehole receiving the hook, and will be substantially parallel to this areaas the hook is raised by manually moving the section 25 downwardly.about the juncture 30. A suitable handle 52 may be provided to assistin this operation. The bottom surfaces of the base plate generally actas a stop so that the dented area will be raised to precisely the levelof the sheet structure surrounding the dent and on which the base plateis seated, and the resilient character of the layer 16 beneath the plateportion 14 will prevent any grinding or scratching of the paint surfacesfrom occurring, as above indicated.

After the same operation has been completed for successive holes, theholes are filled with a suitable plastic material, which is allowed toset and is then finished ofi to the level of the adjacent metal. Theseplastic inserts, which are indicated generally by reference numeral 54in Figure l, are then painted with a matching coat of suit- :able autopaint or the like, so that the entire surface appears to be in itsoriginal condition.

Although I have herein set forth and described my invention with respectto certain specific principles and details thereof, it will beunderstood by those skilled in zthe art that these may be varied withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in thehereunto appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tool for removing dents or creases in sheet material comprising abase adapted to be positioned against the sheet material in contiguousrelationship to a dent -or crease which may be formed therein, amanuallyoperable lever having a handle at one end thereof, said base f providinga fulcrum for said lever, and means on said .lever adapted to removablyengage aperture which may be defined in the sheet material in the-areaof the dent or crease in underlying abutting relationship to the sheetmaterial defining such aperture; said lever being engageable with saidfulcrum between said handle portion thereof and said means whereby thesheet material in the dent or crease may be raised to abuttingengagement with such portions of the base asmay be in register therewithby manual rotation of said lever about the fulcrum provided by saidbase. v

2. A tool for removing dents or creases in avehicle body or fendercomprising a base, a. manually operable lever having a handle portion atone end thereof, said base providing a fulcrum for said lever, and meanson said lever adapted to be removably received in an aperture which maybe formed in the body or fender in the area of a dent or crease thereinand in underlying abut ting, engagement with the body or fender areasdefining.

the aperture, said lever having a bearing portion between said handleportion and said means engageable with said fulcrum whereby the dent orcrease may be pulled into co-planar alignment with the portions of thebody or fender surrounding the dent or crease by manually rotating thelever about said fulcrum.

3. A tool for removing dents or creases in a vehicle body or fendercomprising a lever having'hook means at one end thereof and a handleportion at the other end thereof, said lever having a bearing portiondisposed in predetermined spaced relation to said hook means, and insubstantially greater predetermined spaced relation to the other end ofsaid lever such as to afford a desired amount of leverage for said leverrelative to said hookyand a base adapted to seat against a vehicle bodyor fender and providing a fulcrum for said bearing portion of saidlever.

4. A tool for removing dents or creases in sheet'ma- -terial comprisinga base adapted to be positioned against 4 the sheet material incontiguous relationship to-a dent'or means on said base slidably andpivotally retaining-said lever, and hook means on said lever adapted toremovably engage within an aperture which maybe defined-in the sheetmaterial in the area of the dent or crease in underlying abuttingrelationship to the sheet material defining such aperture whereby thesheet material in the dent or crease may be raised to abuttingengagement with such portions of the base as may be in registertherewith by manual rotation of said lever about the fulcrum provided bysaid base; said lever having a bearing. portion engageable with saidbase and disposed intermediate-said hook means and an end of said lever.

5. A tool for removing dents or creases'in a vehicle body or fendercomprising a lever having hook means at one end thereof, said leverdefining an obtuse angle Whose apex is disposed-in predetermined spacedrelation to said hook means, and in substantially greater predeterminedspaced relation to the other end of said lever such as to afford adesired amount of leverage for said lever relative to said book, a baseadapted to seat against a vehicle body or fender and providing a fulcrumfor said apex of said lever, and means on said base slidably, andpivotally retaining said lever. e

6. A tool for removing body or fender dents or creases comprising aretaining element fixedly secure d on vsaid base and an elongated,substantially rigid rod of good tensile strength and sheer resistancedefining'a first'section and a second section disposed at apredetermined oblique angle relative to said first section and a hookelement secured to said first section in predetermined spaced :relationto the juncture of said first section and said second sections, saidsecond section having a substantially greater length than said firstsection such as to afford a desired leverage relative to said book aboutan axis definedby said juncture, said retaining element slidably andpivotglly receiving said rod for support at said 'juncture by said base;said juncture providing a bearing portion for said rod and said boreproviding a fulcrum supporting said lever at said bearing portion.

7. A tool for removing dents and creases from vehicle bodies or fenderscomprising a substantially rigid rod of good tensile strength and sheerresistance, a hook element carried at one end of said rod, said rodhaving a first section and a second section olfset from said firstsection in predetermined obtuse angular relation thereto, a base plateadapted to seat against a vehicle body or fender and to provide afulcrum for said bar at the juncture of said first and second sections,said bar being adapted to provide a handle at the end of said secondsection for applying leverage about said juncture and said hook elementbeing spaced a predetermined distance from said juncture such as todispose said hook element beyond the boundaries of said base when saidjuncture is operatively positioned on said base plate, said distancebeing less than the distance of said end of said second section fromsaid juncture by an extent sufiicient to provide a desired amount ofleverage relative said hook element, said hook element having an endportion extending substantially in parallel relation to said firstsection and in proximate relationship thereto.

8. A tool for removing dents and creases from a vehicle body or fendercomprising a rod of good tensile strength and shear resistance having afirst section, a second section integrally joined to said first sectionin a predetermined oblique angular relationship thereto, said firstsection defining an aperture adjacent the end of said first sectionextending substantially transversely there through in predeterminedspaced relationship to the juncture of said first and second sections, ahook having a first section adjustably received in said aperture and asecond section extending in substantially parallel relationship to saidfirst section of said rod, means threadedly received in said firstsection for releasably securing said hook in a desired postion in saidfirst section to maintain said second hook section in proximate spacedrelation beneath said first section of said rod, and a base plateadapted to be seated against a body or fender of a vehicle and providinga fulcrum for said rod at the juncture of said first and second sectionsthereof.

9. A tool for removing dents and creases from a W hicle body or fendercomprising a rod of good tensile strength and sheer resistance having afirst section, a second section integrally joined to said first sectionin a pre determined oblique angular relationship thereto, said firstsection defining an aperture adjacent the end of said first sectionextending substantially transversely therethrough in predeterminedspaced relationship to the juncture of said first and second sections, ahook having a first section adjustably received in said aperture and asecond section extending in substantially parallel relationship to saidfirst section of said rod, means threadedly received in said firstsection for releasably securing said hook in a desired 6 position insaid first section to maintain said second hook section in proximatespaced relation beneath said first section of said rod, a base plateadapted to be seated against a body or tender of a vehicle and providinga fulcrum for said rod at the juncture of said first and second sectionsthereof, and a retaining loop structure fixedly mounted on said baseplate and dimensioned and configured to slidably and pivotally receivesaid rod therethrough so as to permit lever action of said rod aroundthe juncture of the first and second sections of said rod when saidjuncture is supported on said base plate, said hook being dimensioned tocooperate with said retaining loop structure to prevent accidentalremoval of said rod therefrom.

10. A tool for removing dents and creases from a vehicle body or fendercomprising a rod of good tensile strength and sheer resistance having afirst section, a second section integrally joined to said first sectionin a predetermined oblique angular relationship thereto, said firstsection defining an aperture adjacent the end of said first sectionextending substantially transversely therethrough in predeterminedspaced relationship to the juncture of said first and second sections, ahook having a first section adjustably received in said aperture and asecond section extending in substantially parallel relationship to saidfirst section of said rod, means threadedly received in said firstsection for releasably securing said hook in a desired position in saidfirst section to maintain said second hook section in proximate spacedrelation beneath said first section of said rod, a base plate adapted tobe seated against a body or fender of a vehicle and providing a fulcrumfor said rod at the juncture of said first and second sections thereof,and a retaining loop structure fixedly mounted on said base plate anddimensioned and configured to slidably and pivotally receive said rodtherethrough so as to permit lever action of said rod around thejuncture of the first and second sections of said rod when said junctureis supported on said base plate, said hook being dimensioned tocooperate with said retaining loop structure to prevent accidentalremoval of said rod therefrom, and having a substantially rectangularconfiguration such as to permit movement of said hook therethrough todisengage said rod from said base plate when said hook is disposedsubstantially diagonally therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,191,720 Meinhardt Feb. 27, 1940 2,485,489 Ferguson Oct. 18, 19492,504,509 Erickson Apr. 18, 1950 2,749,795 Boykin June 12, 19562,776,587 Killius Ian. 8, 1957 2,791,926 Guyton May 14, 1957 2,852,971Macaluso Sept. 23, 1958 2,878,699 Stricklett Mar. 24, 1959

